The Ferrari F430 is getting old. Zero to sixty in 3.9 seconds? Pathetic, really. A Formula 1 transmission, 510 horsepower and a top speed just under 200 mph? Just sad.
At least, that's how the designers in Maranello must see things. The automotive press still considers the F430 to be one of the world's most exceptional cars, but Ferrari is retiring the supercar. After all, they've built something better.
Edmunds Inside Line explains, "Ferrari has revealed images and tantalizing first details of the successor to the best-selling F430. The new 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia will be launched officially at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show" this fall. Ferrari's next top dog represents a new direction for the automaker - an attempt to show that world-class performance can be had with greater fuel economy.
According to Inside Line, the new car "is faster than the high-performance 430 Scuderia, which was not only faster than the F430 but also the Enzo, Ferrari's last hypercar." The 458 has a reported top speed of 203 mph. "The new car is also quicker to 60 mph than the 430 Scuderia and beats it under braking." The car's stability control systems allow it to "put 25 percent more power to the road when it exits a corner," for faster driving on twisting roads, according to the automaker.
But beyond the performance gains, Ferrari says the car is significantly more fuel-efficient than other supercars. Autoblog explains, "Like last years California convertible, the 458 gets a 7-speed dual clutch gearbox to send power to the rear axle. A lot of work on reducing the internal friction of the powerplant in addition to reduced aerodynamic drag also helps improve the 458s mileage to a combined 17.1 mpg (US)" in European testing - and while that doesn't sound like much to those of us accustomed to more pedestrian cars, it beats the F430's 12 mpg easily.
Pricing information is not yet available.
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